Evaluation of the potential effectiveness of wheat flour and salt fortification programs in five Central Asian countries and Mongolia, 2002-2007.

Background: A project for universal salt iodation with potassium iodate and wheat flour fortification with a vitamin-mineral premix was implemented in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan between 2002 and 2007.

Objective: To determine the potential effectiveness of the food fortification programs in improving the micronutrient status of selected families in a sentinel population in each country.

Methods: An area was selected in each country in a sentinel population expected to have early access to iodated salt and fortified wheat flour.